It’s hard to remember what I thought at age 5! I won’t even say how long ago that was. But my life was a true Southern Gothic. I was an only child living in a household with parents, grandparents and 3 “old maid” aunts. No offense to the single women of today! But way back then they lived like old maids. It didn’t occur to me until recently that all the women in the household

Freshened their make up after dinner and sat around completely dressed watching TV and I am sure waiting for Prince Charming to come knocking on the door! My mother and grandmother who were married notwithstanding, lest they offend some caller who might happen by to visit the sisters.

But, alas, there was ever only one caller. A fine gentleman named Charlie! Charlie came to call on my Aunt Mary who was then in her late 30s and full of hope.

Charlie was a hero because he sought to rescue one of these helpless women! And she saw to it that he did. He was handsome with hair the color or the darkest black imaginable and he always had a beautiful Pontiac! He took time with me and shared a quality of love and acceptance I never had from anyone else.

So in the year that I was 5 I was the flower girl in their wedding! Their marriage lasted over 25 years and ended sadly by the untimely death of my aunt. Uncle Charlie lived on alone in their home for many, manymore years. Even though I didn’t see him often he always lit up my heart and was still handsome-with now silver hair instead of coal black.

in my adult years after Mary’s death I always thought of him s lonely and alone in that big empty house. Since there later were no others left in his generation I wrongly assumed I was his only relative. But when I went to his 100th birthday celebration a few years ago I was taken back in a good way by the dozens of nieces and nephews he had on the “other side” of the family and that they all loved him as I did!

Charlie left this world after a few days illness in late 2012. Other than that he stayed in perfect health all those years amazing his doctors. He is still my hero….right up there with my other hero…my late husband who also died shortly after Charlie. Too lovely men leaving big holes in my heart,